Electric fencing can be a great tool for managing animals in pastures. Powerful and effective, these fences offer a low-cost alternative to regular fencing. Another plus is that they can be installed in a flash, then moved if needed. That's especially useful if you use intensive grazing. Progressive Farmer Regional Editor John Leidner surveyed the field recently and spotted some noteworthy products.
Sun Power
The Gallagher S17 Solar-Charged Energizer is equipped with a carrying handle for use with temporary fences. An indicator light flashes when the charger is pulsing. The charger can be placed on top of T-posts or hung from wooden posts or barn walls. It even works sitting on the ground. And it is ideal for use in remote locations.
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Portable Posts
Fiber-glass posts with insulated gate handles can be put to good use in portable electric fencing systems. Fiber-glass rods are self insulating and can be driven into the ground with a hammer. The rods are also strong enough to be used in some permanent fencing systems. Commonly used in temporary electric fencing, plastic Tread-In posts cost a little more than fiber-glass rods. The advantage of the Tread-In post is that it can be simply pushed into the ground with the foot. The lightweight posts can be easily carried to different parts of a pasture, and the molded loops on the post will accommodate a variety of wire types and spacings.
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Highly Visible
Plastic-coated wire is a new innovation for electric fencing in horse pastures. Horses can easily see the white coating, but the wire still delivers a shock. Kencove markets the HotCote and White Lightning brands of this type of fencing. The wire requires large insulators. A visible alternative to plastic-coated wire is wide Polytape.
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Is It Working?
With the Fence Alert clipped onto the fence wire, you can tell from a distance if something is wrong. If the fence voltage drops, it will produce a blinking strobe-light flash. The blinking light provides an early warning that the fence needs attention; this may help prevent animals from escaping. The Fence Alert shown here was placed on leased land where it could be seen easily from the home of a nonfarming neighbor.